John Gardner and the 1778 Battle of Rhode Island

 

Our 5th great-grandfather, John Gardner (1753–1837), served as a soldier in the Rhode Island Militia and State Troops during the American Revolution. Because of Rhode Island’s highly vulnerable geography—specifically the British occupation of Newport and Aquidneck Island from 1776 to 1779—John’s service was defined by intense, localized coastal defense and frontline combat during the largest battle fought in New England.

Military Service and Regimental Record

John Gardner enlisted out of Washington County (then known as Kings County) and served multiple tours of duty under varying commands as the British threat shifted.

1. The Border Watch and Coastal Patrol (1776–1777)

Following the British seizure of Newport in December 1776, the Exeter and North Kingstown militias were placed on permanent alert. John served under Captain Jonathan Bates and Colonel Charles Dyer in the Kings County Regiment.

• The Mission: Guarding the treacherous shoreline of the Narragansett West Shore (from Wickford down to Point Judith).
• The Reality: Preventing British foraging parties from landing via flatboats to plunder inland farms for cattle, grain, and wood. These tours were characterized by rapid night marches and constant skirmishing along the beaches.

2. The Battle of Rhode Island (August 1778)

John Gardner’s service culminated in the Battle of Rhode Island (also known as the Battle of Quaker Hill), a massive, combined franco-american attempt to dislodge the British from Newport.

                  THE BATTLE OF RHODE ISLAND (AUGUST 1778)

  

     [SULLIVAN'S ADVANCE] ───> Forces Cross Bristol/Howland's Ferry

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     [THE GREAT STORM] ───> French Fleet Damaged; Withdraws to Boston

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    [BRITISH COUNTERATTACK] ───> John Gardner's Regiment Holds the Line at Aquidneck

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     [TACTICAL RETREAT] ───> Continental Forces Evacuate Safely to Mainland

• The Action: Under the overall command of Major General John Sullivan, John's militia unit crossed onto Aquidneck Island. When the French fleet was scattered by a hurricane and forced to abandon the assault, the American forces were exposed to a heavy British counterattack.
• The Stand: John’s regiment helped fight a fierce rear-guard action on August 29, 1778, holding the northern hills of the island against elite Hessian and British regulars. This defiance allowed the American army to escape across the ferry passages to the mainland without being annihilated.

The 1832 Pension Act Verification

John’s military legacy is permanently secured through the Federal Pension Act of June 7, 1832.

As an elderly veteran living in Exeter, John filed a detailed pension application outlining his service. The federal government approved his claim (Pension File S.21221).

• The Record: He was placed on the Rhode Island pension roll at the rate of an infantry private.
• Genealogical Value: This file explicitly links his residency, his birth/death dates in Exeter, and his marriage network, providing the definitive primary-source anchor for our lineage.

Burial and Final Resting Place

John Gardner is buried in the Exeter Historical Cemetery #32 (The John Gardner Lot), located deep within the rural landscape of Washington County. His grave features a military marker commemorating his service in the Revolutionary War, standing as a physical testament to a soldier who defended the narrow waterways of Rhode Island to secure independence.

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